People in the Midlands not giving up booze for January

People in the Midlands are among the least likely in the UK to give up drink this month.

The Northern Irish are the most likely in the UK to give up alcohol as part of the Dry January initiative, while the Scots are the least likely people in the UK to give up the booze.

People in Northern Ireland are the most likely to give up booze this month.

But those in the Midlands are among the least likely to go sober this month.

New figures show that last year, five million Brits took part in the Dry January initiative.

The Scots perhaps conformed to the national stereotype with only 3 per cent giving up alcohol for the month.

However, those in Northern Ireland were clearly the most health-conscious with one in 10 in the province committing to staying off the booze until February.

That said, there could be other reasons for steering clear of the demon drink aside from just the health benefits.

In 2017, 79 per cent of those taking part said that they saved money by not drinking. And if they can keep the commitment going the benefits to their pocket could be massive, as the average person spends £50,000 on alcohol over the course of a lifetime.

But as part of a traditional New Year resolution of getting fit, Dry January was a clear winner. Just under half of those questioned (49 per cent) said that they lost weight over the course of the month, and almost two-thirds (62 per cent) felt they slept better and had more energy as a result.